One manner of preparing foodstuffs having reduced caloric content involves the replacement of some of the caloric-containing constituents of the food product with non-digestible substances. Such non-digestible substances include various forms of purified plant cellulose, otherwise known as fiber. Due to the large amount of sugar beet pulp produced annually as a byproduct in the sugar industry, much incentive exists for the conversion of sugar beet pulp to an edible fiber for use as such a non-caloric substitute constituent in food products.
Dietary fibers are currently enjoying a period of renewed interest in the food industry. The ability of fiber to absorb water increases salt hydration which facilitates intestinal transit. Diets rich in fiber are found to provide a wide variety of health benefits.
When adding fiber to processed foodstuffs, a primary concern is to add little or no coloring, little or no tastes and little or no caloric value. If these goals are met, the food to which the fiber is added retains as much of its original nature as possible, yet contains additional fiber.
Analysis of such supplemental fiber material involves measurement of total dietary fiber (TDF), soluble dietary fiber (SDF) and insoluble dietary fiber (IDF). In general, a higher value of TDF and SDF is desirable. Another means of evaluation of supplemental fiber material measures color by measurement of L (reflectivity), (green-red characteristics), and B (yellow blue characteristics) values. In general, a comparison of such LAB values is made against a standard material, such as .alpha.-cellulose.
Processes are known for preparing sugar beet pulp material into a good source of fiber which may be incorporated into foodstuffs. Typically, sugar beets that are received from growers have been defoliated or scalped. The beets are partially cleansed of extraneous materials and stored in large piles for up to five months as they await processing. The beets are washed, and then sliced into long thin strips, like shoestring potatoes, using a rotary slicer. The cossettes thus obtained are generally about 3 mm to 4 mm thick and 4 cm to 5 cm long. The sugar beet cossettes are then water-extracted and the spent sugar beet cossettes or pulp is dewatered. In general, the production of fiber from sugar beets involves a process wherein the sugar beet pulp material is coarsely ground or sliced to form a coarse pulp slurry. Of course, the coarse pulp slurry can be collected from a processing plant after the sugar is removed from sugar beet cossettes. The pulp slurry is then placed in a stabilizer solution to prevent darkening of the cossettes and water washed to remove substantially all the soluble carbohydrates. The water washed sugar beet pulp slurry is then contacted with an alcoholic solution to remove color and flavor. Thereafter, the water and alcohol are removed and the material is optionally ground to a flour consistency. The sugar beet pulp generally has a number of objectional flavor components which may be removed with the alcohol extraction.